It is time for Africans to tell their own story – Minister

Accra, – Mr Ignatius Baffour Awuah, Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, says with the rise in developmental initiatives in Africa, the need had come for the African to tell his own story.

If BBC, CNN, Fox News and others, have television initiatives that promote their respective causes, it is time we also have ours to tell the African story.

Mr Awuah said this on Tuesday in Accra, at the launch of Impact Africa, an African development television initiative.

In a speech read on his behalf by his deputy, Mr. Bright Wireku Brobbey, who also did the launch on the minister’s behalf, Mr Awuah said although Africa was challenged by set-backs such as poverty, unemployment, environmental challenges amongst others, organisations such as NGOs, and several other similar organisations were working to solve the problems.

He said such initiatives, while complimenting government efforts, also reflected the urgent desire in the African to see development.

I stand here today in place of President Nana Akufo-Addo and in my own capacity to call on philanthropists, NGOs, corporate institutions and all other stake-holders, to join the institutionalisation of the impact Africa Television initiative, the minister said.

He said with the government’s focus on achieving sustainable development by 2030, I want to assure the initiators of Impact Africa, that my ministry is ready to partner and support Impact Africa to achieve its mandate.

Mr. Michael Owusu, Executive Director of Impact Africa, said the initiative, was borne of the yearning to encourage originators of good initiatives in Africa and appealed to all stake-holders, to support the new initiative, adding, that it would promote development on the continent.

Mr Pedro Luis Gonzalez, Cuban Ambassador to Ghana, said it was unfortunate that some stories that reached the rest of the world from Africa, created a negative impression, which were completely different from the amazing and beautiful experiences one encountered, when on an actual visit to the continent.

He said Ghana and Africa as a whole had a lot of good things to tell the world about itself.